What is Alkalizing? Well it's the opposite of Acidic. Most of us probably have an acidic pH level in our body. Remember those litmus papers from high school lab? Well we can use those to test our urine or saliva to see what our pH level is. We ideally want to score at least in the 6-7 range.

All food that is digested in our bodies metabolizes down to an ash residue. This ash residue can be neutral, acid, or alkaline. It is important to understand that the cells of our body are bathed in an alkaline fluid. Just as our body temperature is maintained at 98.6°F, our body fluids should be maintained at a 7.3-7.4 alkaline pH. Blood pH is ideally 7.365. Over-acidification of body fluids and tissues signals a state of imbalance, opening the door tosickness and disease. (As well, an overlyblood pH signals a generally over-acidic condition, as the blood pulls in alkaline salts to neutralize the acidity.)

Foods which create an acid residue are meats and other flesh proteins, eggs, dairy products, yeast breads and yeast products, fermented foods (e.g., vinegar, soy sauce, miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, alcohol), sugars, and high-sugarfruits. Dr. Young has found through scientific research that sugars, e.g., white sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, high-sugar fruits, fruit juice, and even high-sugar vegetables like carrots and beets, contribute to excess fermentation, which creates excess acidity in our body fluids. (Once a person becomes balanced, or symptom-free, the higher-sugar fruits can be eaten fresh and in season, occasionally, for cleansing purposes. But while symptoms of excess fermentation/acidity are present, they should be avoided.) As well, coffee, black tea, and soft drinks are highly acidifying.

Foods which create an alkaline residue are vegetables-especially greens of all kinds, such as spinach, cucumber, lettuce, grasses, celery, broccoli, etc.; soaked and sprouted seeds, nuts, and grains; and low-sugar fruits such as avocado, lemon, lime, tomato, and bell peppers. Raw foods are more alkalizing, while cooked food is more acidifying.

To maintain a balanced and alkalized pH in blood and tissues, the diet should contain at least 70-80 percent alkalizing foods, and no more than 20-30 percent cooked or acidifying foods.

Our bodies are similar to our Earth, which is 70 percent water with 30 percent mass. Therefore it makes The USDA food pyramid metabolizes down to a high amount of sugar from complex and simple carbohydrates-from pasta and grains at the base, from fruits in the second step, milk products (lactose) in the third step, and from sweets at the top. Also, meat and other flesh foods in the third step contribute to acidity. Therefore the USDA food pyramid is a highly acidifying food plan.

Dr. Young's food pyramid promotes alkalinity of the blood and tissues by basing the diet around alkalizing vegetables, sprouted and soaked nuts and seeds, essential oils, and low-sugar fruits. An emphasis on "greens" also supplies us with chlorophyll, which is molecularly structured like our own hemoglobin. Dr. Young's pyramid is alkalizing and supportive for balancing the pH of the blood and tissues in our bodies. (See Sick and Tired? Reclaim Your Inner Terrain, Chapter 5, for further information on acid/alkaline balance.)

Remember that when you build an alkalizing meal, raw vegetables are going to be the most alkalizing and energy-packed (life-force) foods you can eat. As Dr. Klinik Bircher-Benner has said, "The closer food is to the natural sun energy, the higher it is in all levels of nutritional value for the human organism."